The ideal CV has no page limit. The length of your CV can range from a double-digit page count to a few pages.

CV vs Resume - Layout:

Resumes lead with contact information plus a resume summary or objective. Your education and experience sections come next. Depending on your career progress either can come first. Finally, you add a skills section to your resume and any extra sections you need.

If you have little to no work experience, you might want to put your education first. Professionals with work experience will want to lead with their experience section.

Make sure you display your information in reverse-chronological order. Start with your most recent job and degree first.

A skills section should round out your resume. You can also add your hobbies, which remain an optional addition to most American resumes.

You should always tailor your resume to match the information in the job description.

Right:

A resume should include jobs, responsibilities, education, and relevant skills.

Wrong:

A resume should not include every job you’ve ever had, plus every skill you’ve learned over the course of your career.

There is no clear layout for a CV. Your best course of action will be to look for examples of CVs. You can use the CVs of people who have applied to similar positions to get an idea of how yours should look.

Also, use the resources available to you at your university if you’re applying for an academic position. For example, Harvard University’s Office of Career Services provides guidelines for CVs and cover letters.

At the end of the day, a CV should contain as many achievements and details about your work as necessary.

Right:

A CV should include your education, work history, skills, publications, public speaking engagements, awards, and interests.

Wrong:

A brief overview of your work experience and education.

What format should you choose for a professional resume? Want examples of great resume layouts? Read our guides:

5. CV vs Resume - What Do You Use When You Want to Work Abroad?

One thing to keep in mind is that the term “CV” has different meanings outside the US.

In European Union countries, the term “CV” is equal to the American “resume.” So, when you apply for a job in Greece, the UK, or Denmark, your potential employer will ask you for a CV.

And that means they want to see your resume. You can even use the same resume templates and layouts as you would use for your American resume. That’s also true for New Zealand.

One of the significant differences that you may come across is that some EU employers want to see photographs on your CV.

For example, in Germany, Poland, Greece, Italy, or Portugal you will want to put your photo on your CV. German and Polish employers expect to see photographs. In Portugal, your picture is more optional.

Otherwise, there is not much difference between EU CVs and American resumes. The rule of thumb is to check out CV requirements in the country of your choice.

That’s because you’ll find small differences across countries. For example, European employers prefer to see hobbies on a CV, and UK employers expect to see your references.

In other parts of the world, the term “CV” keeps its American meaning.

For example, an Indian employer may ask you for a CV or a resume. When they request a CV, they want a record of your education, work history, training, accomplishments, activities, affiliations, and publications.

Pro Tip: American resume formats and resume templates are welcome in most EU countries.

In some cases, you can use your American resume with very few changes. You may want to translate your CV.